Connecticut western news., 1887-10-26
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On the morrow Rita would be eighteen. Valdez passed the day in state of | dazcd illumination.
 He refused to let his daughter come down stairs to breakfast, for fear that she would trip.
 ''No coffee, my dcar," he said, "A glass of lemonade is more wholesome. | Hcavens!' he shrieked. "What is it2" asked the astonished girl. "There is lemon seed in the glass, :" said her father "You might have swal- lowed it."
 Rita laughed. It was such trife, she told her father
 But Valdez would have his way. He poured out another glass, and examined every particle of food that came into the room. He prohibited meat, because it might produce fever. | He was just as particular about every thing, and before the day was over Rita | grew so nervous that she did not much care whether she lived or died. Before night the windows were se- curely barred, the room was searched to I sec that no assassin had concealed him. self, and finally at late hour Valdez told his daughter that he was afraid to give her any supper.
 'The truth is" he said, 'I am afraid of poison"
 "May have few bananas9" pleaded the senorita.
 Bananas" shouted her father. "Why of course. They cannot hurt you. Yes, you shall have whole bunch."
 He gave his orders, and in few minutes the tempting looking fruit was brought into the room.
 Valdez kissed his daughter, and locked her in He did not tell her of his purpose but all night long he paced the hall in bis stocking feet with pis- tol in his hand.
 The first glimmcr of dawn came through the windows of the palace.
 "Rita's eighteenth birthdayp' said the happy father with smiling face. "She is safe, and what is more, she will be a princcss"
 Gradually the servants began to stir, and the bright sunshine bathed the walls in flood of glory.
 Scnor Valdez quietly unlocked the door to the we'll guarded chamber, and stole in on tip-toe.
 In moment the widest shrieks an6 cries rang through the palace
 The servants rushed to Rita's room and the unutterable horror of the sigh before them struck even the boldes dumb.
 Senor Valdez lay stretched on thu floor in death-like swoon.
 On the bed lay Rita, her face white than the snowy pillow. There was horrible, brown, hairy something on he f throat!
 One of the women approached gently and tore the ugly thing away, and klllee it with her slipper. It was tarantula, and it had done it deadly work only too we'll Rita's throa , bore the mark of its poisonous sting.
 The servants understood it all whel they saw the bunch of bananas in a chai by tho bed. The taran tula had crawlc, out during the night, and had stung tn lovely victim to death while she slept Valdez recovered consciousness, but was only to be driven from the palac to the asylum. To tho day of his deat] he remained gibbering maniac, withou the faintest gleam of sanity. Perhaps was blessing to have his mind so com pletcly wiped out.
 When the Empress Carlotta heard o the death of her favorite she at once dis :, continued her court entertainmc fo the season. The empress felt tho shoe ;, so severely that it is believed by man in Mexico that her subsequent ments troubles really datel from the death C the unfortunate Rita. - Atlanta Const ;, tuition.